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Brutality
Wolfie's Fanfiction. Started at least back in January, ask Shadow or Darkness AN: After-Canon Timeline: Cruelty Route. IceWing Takeover. Prologue "I can't believe it! He's hatching-today!" A voice exclaimed in the distance. "It's incredible!" He tried to move. He heard a cracking noise. "He's hatching now!" The second voice was more gruff. The first more gentle. He moved again, shattering the shell. He looked up, seeing two red dragons over him, and beyond them, two full moons. "Welcome, Ash." Said the first voice. "Ma?" Asked Ash. He realized that his own voice was more rough. The first voice-mother- nodded. The second dragon looked over his shoulder. "Oh no." He said quietly. He grabbed Mother's shoulder. "We need to go, now." A tear leaked out of her eye. She nodded, and the two flew off. "Why?" Asked Ash, tilting his head. "Ma?" But there was no answer. A chill went up his spine as he saw many white dragons in the distance. He looked down at his scales, which were dark, dark red. Way darker than his parent's. He looked up when he heard a scream. A howl of agony-of pain. Ash whimpered. He looked towards where the white dragons were. One was heading towards him. A brisk wind went across the plain, and He shivered. The dragon landed. A wicked sneer was on his face. He whimpered again. "You're coming with me." Said the dragon, almost cackling. Ash shook his head, backing up. The dragon grabbed him, and took off. He started to whimper even more. He looked down, and saw two red bodies laying on the ground. He didn't know what this meant. "Shut up." Said the dragon, whipping him across the Talon with his tail. Ash was on the brink of tears, until he could not even feel the pain because of the cold. The rest of the white dragons joined them. "Nice catch." Laughed one of the others. "For you?" Asked another. The one carrying Ash sneered. "Quite." He smiled brutally, and they flew in a moonlit landscape in a freezing cold where no dragon should ever have to be. Ash looked up at the moons, and a few tears dripped onto the ground. Chapter 1 The dragon landed. He tossed Ash on the snow. He whimpered. "You got a name, coward?" Said the dragon not even looking at Ash. He nodded. "Ash." He said, sort of quietly. "Not at all IceWing. No, it's Spire now." Said the IceWing. Ash-now Spire looked down at the ground. "Spire?" "Get used to it." Snarled the IceWing. "And my name is Sleet. You may only call me Sir or Master, got it?" Spire nodded quickly. Sir's cold gaze seemed to be stabbing Spire, or maybe it was the biting cold. Spire rubbed his talons. "Cold?" Asked Sir. Spire nodded. "Too bad." Sir retorted. "Come on!" Called out one of the other IceWings from far away. Sir grabbed Spire, his cold, serrated talons cutting Spire. Spire shivered. Sir took off again, and they were soon close to the palace. They landed, and Spire received many stares from the IceWings. Blood was dripping down his neck, and that was the only way he knew he was wounded. He couldn't feel the pain. "We're going to talk to the Queen, and if you don't shut up I'll beat you." Said Sir as they walked in. "Yes, Sir." Replied Spire quietly. They were about to walk into the throne room. "Sir?" "What?" Spire glanced at a wall with words on it. "What's that?" "The rankings. Which reminds me, whenever you meet an IceWing, you must bow. You are practically at the bottom of the Eighth Circle. Get used to it." Sir said coldly. Spire nodded. Sir took Spire into the throne room. Sir bowed, gesturing for Spire to do so as well. Spire bowed, his head touching the floor. "Milady," Sir stood up. "Queen Snow." She nodded. "Sleet." "As you ordered, my group and I were supposed to go take care of two SkyWings. The female especially since she had killed one of your granddaughters. Remember, that scout a while back? Who said that the female had laid an egg? He was right." Sir shoved Spire forward. "Here he is." Spire looked down at the ground, hesitating and then bowing again. "We crossed off the female first." Said Sir, pushing Spire down lower. "Then the male. She had made a mistake. In her final moments, she looked at this one's hiding place." Sir scoffed. The Queen nodded. Sir pulled Spire up. "I suppose you wish to keep him, my cousin?" "Yes ma'am, as is customary in warfare." Replied Sir with a sneer directed at Spire. "We shan't spare any magic, like we might've years ago. You understand, correct?" "Of course. If he was a stupid MudWing that might be different, but since he's a SkyWing he will live." Sir had a frightening gleam in his eye. "I would suggest take him to the infirmary, Sleet, to get rid of the cuts and to prepare him for the cold." Sir nodded politely. "You there," she pointed to Spire. "You're name?" "A-Spire." He stammered at the last second. She looked with cold blue eyes which scared Spire. "I'll take him to the infirmary, Milady." Sir bowed, and Spire did so as well. Sir took Spire outside. "I'm pleased to see you got your name right." Sir grabbed Spire, and again flew off. This time it was for a short flight to the infirmary. "A SkyWing?" Asked the nurse. She looked nicer than any of the IceWings Spire had seen, with a brown tint in her scales. "Get him healed, Hybrid." Growled Sir. The IceWing pulled out a horn, and rubbed it over Spire. His scales healed, and he felt good. "Better?" She asked softly. Spire nodded. She patted his shoulder. She looked up at Sir, who was so much bigger than her. "Can I not give him something?" She asked. "No. Why do you even ask that? You know that your magic is the only reason you haven't been killed. Don't waste it, Hybrid." He growled the last part. She ducked her head down. "Yes sir. It's just- the cold was near unbearable for me, until I-" "And? I don't care. He'll be fine. He's a," he scoffed. "Fire breather." She nodded. "Yes Sir." Spire hopped off the table. He remembered Sir's order, and was about to bow when Sir stopped him. He tilted his head up at Sir. The Nurse bowed to him. Spire was confused. Nurse smiled sadly at him, though Spire had no sense of sadness. Sir took Spire outside. "Sir, why did she?" Spire didn't really know what it was called that she did. "Because, even though you're just a SkyWing, she's even lower since she's a hybrid." Sir sized Spire up. "At least you're purebred, which is more than I can say for most of the other slaves." Spire looked up at the sky. It was still dark out. A cloud drifted across the moons. Sir followed Spire's gaze. "Those moons, huh? If they hadn't been full..." He trailed off, smirking. He grabbed Spire's Talon. "Let's go." Sir took Spire to a dimly lit chamber. There was a small crack where the moon light flowed in. A silver egg was under the light. A few cracks were on it. Sir snarled. The egg cracked open. A black dragonet with speckles of silver all over it. "If there is someone that you are higher than, it's that." Sir glared at the black dragonet. "A NightWing." "Sir, name?" Asked Spire. Sir growled back, "No. Its owner will come up with a name. My sister, as a matter of fact." Spire looked around at Sir said that. There were eggs all over the chamber. Mostly black, but even a few blue-green ones. One was pinkish-purple. A few brown. Some were even yellow. "Lots." Stated Spire. "Certainly. Whenever we take prisoners, we take the eggs too. Sometimes the mothers lay it here." Sir replied with a voice full of pride. "Spire. Grab that-beast. We're taking it to my sister." Spire nodded. He pulled on the NightWing. Spire was hardly bigger than it, but Sir didn't care. The NightWing followed Spire. It stepped on Sir's foot. Sir growled and threw it into the snow. Sir stopped Spire when he tried to help the NightWing up. "No." Spire froze. The NightWing shakily stood. "Let's go." Snapped Sir. Sir took them to a tall building. It was made of ice, like all the other buildings. An IceWing came to the entrance. "Brother." She said. "Sister." Sir replied. He threw the NightWing forward. "Your powered NightWing." She pinched its snout, looking at its teeth and eyes. "She'll do." She looked at Spire. "Yours?" "Of course." Sir smirked. "I am Titania." She lifted up the NightWing with one Talon. "I'll call you Luna... It'll do." She made eye contact with Sir. "Best not to pick a bad name, remember Dirt?" Sir nodded, grinning. She grabbed Luna, a scary glint in her eye. Luna started to bleed. "Come in, Sleet." Titania pulled Luna inside. Luna whimpered. Titania showed them to a sitting room. She made Luna sit on the bare floor towards a corner. Spire was allowed to sit on the polar bear carpet. Titania sat across from Sir. Luna had tears flowing from her eyes. Spire just looked at the ground. "Sister, have you heard of Crystal? And what she did with Trickle?" Asked Sir. "No, I haven't." "Remember what Ice Berg did? Crystal is doing the same thing." "No! I can't believe this! Thank the moons we're not that close to her! The dishonor she brings upon herself and her family. Disgusting." "That's right. She was able to acquire a license from Her Majesty. I think they hope a SeaWing hybrid will be able to breath underwater, and attack the underwater Palace. Of course, then the hybrid will try to escape." "Surely." "Except Trickle seems to genuinely think Crystal is in love with him." "What a moron." "Yes. Crystal does love the color of his scales. I assume she hopes her offspring will look good. I remember when Ice Berg did this." Sir smirked. "No one respected him. A MudWing? Really? More gross than a SeaWing" Spire was listening to Sir's and Titania's conversation. He saw Luna crying. "Why?" He whispered. Luna shook her head. Spire looked up at Sir. "In any case, as long as this contributes to the war effort, this will be handy. I still think that Ice Berg was mad. Crystal may be right." Titania tapper her snout thoughtfully. "Maybe I should go find a NightWing. Like Foeslayer did to Arctic." "Sister, really? Why must you?" Sir looked dumbfounded. "Sleet, I'd send the NightWings to the mines after. Don't you wish for some revenge?" "Of course. Maybe you are right." Sir stood up. "Good night, sister. Make use of that beast." He gestured at Luna, who was still crying. He snatched Spire. "We will go to my house." Sir nodded at Titania, and went outside. Spire followed Sir without complaint. He saw the wall again. "Sir, what is the ranking?" "I'll explain." Said Sir gruffly, taking Spire inside. He put Spire on a rug on the ground while he sat on a fancy seat. "There used to be Seven Circles. We changed it to Eight one we started taking slaves." Sir touched a chain necklace on him that had two circles on it. "I'm at the top of the Second Circle." An IceWing came in the room with a chain with eight circles on it. "You, however, being newly hatched are at the bottom of the Eighth Circle." Continued Sir. The IceWing put the chain on Spire's Talon. The links were thin, so they didn't weigh Spire down. "If you're good, and you follow the rules, you'll rank higher. Unless you were a NightWing or a Hybrid, then you would stay at the bottom." Spire nodded. A brown dragon walked to Sir. "A message from Sir Ice Berg." She said nervously. "A meeting at his house in a few days." "You may go."snarled Sir. The dragon left. Spire noticed a mark on her side, fore, and back talons. "What's that?" Asked Spire. "The Mark."smirked Sir. "Every Noble has their own. You'll get it on you in a few days. The when you turn Five. Then you're last when you're Ten." He had a cruel grin on his snout, and Spire didn't know what it meant. "Follow me." Sir took Spire to a room that had just a shelf on it. "If you're good, you might get an old polar bear skin to sleep on." He smiled creepily. Spire got on the shelf, and started to go to sleep. Sir left the room, locking the door. Spire slept. He dreamed of flying with Sir, then dreaming of his parents, who he had only known for a few minutes. He slept, sleeping soundly without hardly a worry. Chapter 2 Spire woke up, breathing hard. "You're awake." Said Sir. He placed a Talon against Spire's neck. Spire felt instantly relieved. "You have a fever. Great, this will set us back quite a bit." He blew a puff of frostbreath in the air. Spire felt better, but cold. So cold. "This should do. The cold should make the fever break." Sir pulled Spire out onto the floor. Spire stood shakily. Sir took him to a different room. "Now then; since you're a SkyWing, you're going to be of more use to me by walking around carrying my stuff." "Sir?" "What?" "What about L-Luna?" Spire had a bit of trouble saying the L. "Titania will make her do excruciating hard tasks in front of other IceWings. That's something you'll be spared from." Sir smirked. "Why her?" Spire was confused. "Why her and me? Not any of you?" "Because you are my slave. We took you through conflict, and now you do whatever I say. If I tell you to lick the floor you do. If I tell you to pick a certain dragon as a mate you do. You do what I say." Sir hissed. "You aren't IceWing, you aren't fit to be free." "Yes Sir." Replied Spire, taken a bit aback. He was frightened. "You best be glad you are purebred. Not a drop of another tribe's blood is in your veins. Most of our slaves are traitors or hybrids, or at least have hybrid ancestors. But not you." Sir nodded. He touched Spire's neck. Spire didn't move at all. "The fever is gone. Good." He smiled. "The funny thing is, you are a SkyWing. The opposite of an IceWing. And now you have to live in this extreme cold." Sir laughed. "I can't wait for those so-called 'diplomatic missions'! To show you in front of those other tribes! Brilliant!" Sir continued to laugh. "Especially once you are marked!" Spire stood there, not knowing what Sir was excited about. "Sir, does that mean there are other places? Not cold?" "Of course! But those places aren't as good as here. You should be grateful that you are living in the Kingdom of Ice. The other tribes are so inferior." "Others?" "There are Seven tribes. I am an IceWing. We are the most intelligent tribe, and powerful too. You're a SkyWing. Most aren't smart at all, just mindless fighters. That beast you saw hatch is a NightWing. Sometimes they can read minds or see the future. They're evil and despicable. That messenger you saw was a MudWing. Dumb and an idiot. SeaWings are blue or green. There were some eggs in the slave hatchery. They can breath underwater, other than that they are useless. SandWings are yellow. They can survive in intense heat, and have a poisonous tail. Also useless. RainWings can change the color of their scales. They also have venom. Good at sneak attacks, but not very smart." Sir nodded. "This is certainly the best place to be." "Can we go see?" "Not yet. Though I am certainly going to take you to the Sky Kingdom, in a couple months or so. To see the look on the Queen's face!" He lifted Spire's snout. "And if she tries to ransom you-definitely not. You are mine. Forever." Sir let go of Spire. Spire tried to duck his head down. "Stop. You have to have perfect posture. None of that funny business. Keep your head up." Spire nodded. "Good." Sir smiled. "You're obedient. Better than that SandWing Polar brought in a while back. She tried to kill him. You wouldn't try that, now would you?" Sir looked at Spire sternly. "No Sir. Never." Spire said, trying to remain calm. "When will those eggs hatch?" He started to think of the eggs from yesterday. "Actually, Ice Berg has a few that should be hatching soon. We can go see." Sir grabbed Spire, cutting him a little, and took off. They landed in front of the slave hatchery. An IceWing holding a MudWing under his talons was there as well. "Sir Sleet." He bowed, almost crushing the MudWing. "Ice Berg." Said Sir coolly. Spire bowed. "Get up, Dirt." Growled Ice Berg. The small MudWing stood up, then pushed back down by Ice Berg. "I am sorry of my insult to the IceWing race." She said quietly. Spire looked at her, raising his brow. She looked up at Ice Berg with soft eyes. Spire wasn't sure what she felt towards him. "Get." Growled Ice Berg, shoving her to the door. "She should be sorry." Whispered Sir to Spire. They went in. A clutch of light brown eggs was about to hatch. "Sir? Why did she say that?" Whispered Spire very quietly. "Because she brought dirty blood into Ice Berg's lineage, despite it being his idea to get a marriage license. He often treats her like it was her fault. Remember that nurse?" "Yes Sir." "Their dragonet. Ice Berg killed her siblings. He only kept her because of her magic." "Oh. And now?" "Who knows what he will do." Sir finished. One of the eggs cracked, a red one. A brown dragon with white-blue around his open eyes reached for the other eggs. He helped crack the others open. Ice Berg grabbed the big brown dragonet. "This one." "Can we not keep them all?" Whimpered Dirt. "Pick one more." Growled Ice Berg. "One." Dirt whimpered again. She touched the smallest, which was white with brown streaks scattered over her. She had brown wing membranes, and dark brown eyes. Dirt pulled her in close, wrapping her wings around her. "This one." She whispered, almost in tears. She turned away from Ice Berg. He pushed the big one to the ground, making sure he was watching as Ice Berg froze the other dragonets, killing them. He grabbed the dragonet that had hatched from the red egg. "Let's go, Dirt." Dirt was stroking her dragonet, crying. "Can I name them?" She pleaded. "What? No! You're mad!" Dirt nodded. "Murk." Ice Berg squeezed the male dragonet's Talon painfully. "And Terra." Dirt nodded, her tears dripping on the ground. "Let's. Go. Now." Ice Berg kicked Dirt. She hastily stood up, keeping Terra close. "Can we not take them somewhere warm?" She asked quietly. "Shut up!" Exclaimed Ice Berg. "No! He's immune to fire. He'll be useful. You and her are useless! Unless, I get more magic out of you two." Ice Berg said thoughtfully when he was about to kick Dirt. He stopped. He lifted her up. She wasn't that much bigger than her dragonets. Ice Berg bowed to Sir. "Will you come to Murk's beginning? He will be a useful assassin." "Yes, I will come, along with my slave." He gestured at Spire. Dirt squeezed Ice Berg's talon nervously. "Assassin? But he might die!" "He'll be useful, and that's what matters." Retorted Ice Berg. He grabbed Murk, and threw him on his back. Murk whimpered. Ice Berg grabbed Dirt's Talon. They started walking across the clearance. That was when Spire noticed a rip in Dirt's wing. "Look at this. He got rid of six other eggs. Wow." Sir laughed. He looked at the dead hybrids. "Can't believe Dirt picked the runt." He turned back to Spire. "We need to go." "Sir, her wing was ripped." "Ah, of course you noticed. That's how Ice Berg caught her. She's the daughter of the MudWing Queen, you know. She had been with her siblings when Ice Berg found them. Somehow, she had ripped her wing, and Ice Berg was able to get a hold on her. They killed the rest of her siblings. Ice Berg wants to take her on a 'diplomatic mission' soon. The MudWing Queen thinks Dirt is dead. Ice Berg planned on doing it once they had more dragonets." Sir smiled. He took Spire outside. "It's almost night." He said looking at the sunset. "The days are short in winter." He took Spire back to the house. "Spire." Spire snapped to attention. "What do you think Ice Berg and Dirt are doing?" "I don't know, Sir." "We are going to find out. We're going to fly to their house, and spy on them." Sir grinned. He grabbed Spire's Talon. "Wait. You need to know. If you even consider flying away, I'll punish you. You'll suffer way worse than you think a dragon could live through." His claws dug into Spire's scales. "Understood?" "Yes Sir. I'll never run." Spire promised. Sir put Spire's Talon down. "Good." They left through the back door. Sir hovered, waiting for Spire to take off. Spire finally did so, with some effort. They flew, Spire struggling. They arrived at a large building, far from the palace. Sir showed Spire a window to crawl through, to listen. Sir waited while Spire went in. Spire went outside the bedroom, and listened. "Why did you kill the rest?" Cried Dirt. Spire situated himself to a crack so he could see what was happening. "They weren't worth anything." Replied Ice Berg. He was laying towards the window. Dirt was crying against his shoulder, Murk and Terra wrapped under her wings. "At least," Dirt sobbed. "You gave ours good names." "You mean, not like what I named you!" Laughed Ice Berg. Dirt started to cry again. "Stop." Said Ice Berg, with just the smallest hint of sympathy in his voice. Dirt stopped crying. She put Murk on the foot of the bed, and Terra next to her. "Will you still protect me?" Dirt whispered. "Yes, of course. I'll keep you safe." Ice Berg didn't sound like he was mocking her. He sounded alert, but not particularly loving. "That evil NightWing won't get you here." Ice Berg touched Dirt's Talon. Spire assumed that there was a bigger reason behind the two being together than Ice Berg wanting to rub it in the MudWing Queen's snout. Dirt caressed Ice Berg's snout. He turned, and she laid her head on his chest. "It's so cold." Dirt whispered. "I know." Ice Berg pulled a bear skin over both of them. "In the next hatching, we can keep Three." Murmured Ice Berg. "Thank you." Said Dirt. Ice Berg wrapped his wings around her, and she pressed her snout down to his. Spire left, thinking that Sir wanted him back. He snuck out. He shivered. "What do you need to report?" Asked Sir. "A lot, but can I please tell you back at your home, Sir?" Sir's ear twitched. "Alright. But only because it is growing late." They flew back. Sir had to carry Spire for the last stretch since his wings were so cold. They went inside. "Sir, I think Dirt is with Ice Berg because someone is after her. They are going to have more dragonets as well." "Good to know. Which tribe is trying to kill her?" "I think Ice Berg said NightWing." "Naturally. Good job, Spire." "Dirt isn't her real name." "Of course not. We change the names of our slaves." "Yes Sir." "This might help you rank up a bit." "Thank you Sir." Sir led Spire to his room. "Sir?" Asked Spire as he laid down on the shelf. "What?" "Thank you for giving me a good name, then.." Spire barely remembered being called Ash. "You're welcome." Sir smirked. He was walking out the door. "And for bringing me here. I think it's better here." "It certainly is. Good night." Sir locked the door and left. Spire fell asleep. He didn't know any other places. All he knew was the cold. Since he had been there since he was young, the cold couldn't kill him. Spire didn't know how it felt to be warm. Even when he had hatched, it was in disputed territory that was cold. Always, cold. Chapter 3 Spire woke up. Unlike the day before, he didn't feel sick. He yawned. Sir came in the room. "You're up. Come on." Spire went to the sitting room. There was a dead animal on the table. "Polar bear. Eat up." Spire started to eat, realizing that he had felt empty inside. "Hungry? You should be glad it isn't summer, then a couple of days would've been a long time. Right now, it's only been about 28 hours." Sir had a bite. "Interesting information last night." Spire nodded. He continued to eat as much as he could. "We've got something important happening today." Sir said. Spire raised his brow. "What is it?" "You'll see." Sir smiled. He let Spire eat. When he finished, he took him outside. "Come with me." Spire followed Sir to a building. That went down a set of stairs. The walls weren't ice anymore, they were stone. A red dragon was chained to the wall, a chain wrapped around his snout. His shoulders were shaking with laughter. He had marks like what was on Dirt all over him. An IceWing was standing next to him. "Sleet." He said calmly. "Bear." Sir bowed, and Spire did so too. "The time has come for the oath." Said Bear. "The time has come." Replied Sir. "Repeat after me." Said Bear to Spire. "I will always protect my Master." "I will always protect my Master." "No matter what the cost." "No matter what the cost." "I will do what he says." "I will do what he says." "The only thing that matters," "The only thing that matters," "Is the strength of the IceWings." "I-is the strength o-of the I-iceWings." Spire stammered. Bear grinned. "You are ready." He unchained the mouth of the SkyWing. "Sleet, hand me your brand." Sir picked up a brand, and gave it to Bear. The SkyWing blasted the brand with fire. Bear held the brand. "Now, you belong to Sir Sleet, for now and for always." Bear rammed it against Spire's side. A blood-curdling yell was heard throughout the palace. Tears dripped from Spire's snout to the floor. Bear wrapped the chain around the SkyWing's snout. "Sir Sleet, you may place your mark on the SkyWing as a record." Sir took the brand, ramming it against the SkyWing's side. The SkyWing barely made a sound. "W-why?" Whispered Spire. Sir smiled. Luna and Titania entered the room. Spire shook his head. Luna was crying, like she knew what would happen. Titania threw Luna forward. Luna continued crying. Bear made Luna say what he told Spire to say. Luna was crying through the whole thing. "Titania, hand me your brand." Titania handed Bear her brand. Again, he unchained the mouth of the SkyWing. The SkyWing blasted the brand with fire. "Now, you belong to Lady Titania, for now and for always." Bear rammed it against Luna's side. Luna screamed. She started crying and sobbing. Bear again wrapped the chain around the SkyWing's snout. "Lady Titania, you may place your mark on the SkyWing as a record." Titania rammed the brand against the SkyWing, like Sir had done. Luna came over to Spire, crying. Spire shifted away from her, not wanting to talk to a NightWing. "He told you, then?" Asked Luna quietly. Spire nodded. He thought she was talking about how NightWings were worse than anyone else. Luna winced. "I don't know if that is true or not." She whispered. "How do you?" Asked Spire. "I can read minds, or at least, that's what Lady Titania said." Luna was crying still. "I knew it would hurt, but still..." She bowed her head. Spire tentatively touched his side. It hurt, so badly. He could only imagine how that SkyWing felt. He had marks all over him. Spire sighed. He stood up. Dirt and Ice Berg's dragonets would have that happen to them really soon. He shrugged. "Mud-IceWings?" Asked Luna. Spire nodded. Luna gasped. "He killed his own dragonets?" She whispered. Spire nodded again. "Shh." Spire nudged Luna, instantly recoiling when he remembered she was a NightWing. Luna bowed her head again. "NightWings must be a really bad tribe." She said quietly. Spire touched his side. It hurt. It hurt and it wouldn't stop hurting. "Spire." Spire turned to Sir. "We're going." Spire nodded, tears welling up in his eyes. Spire followed Sir outside. "Sir, why?" Spire touched his side, and it hurt. "Why?" Scoffed Sir. "Like I said before. You're mine." Sir said through his teeth. Spire nodded somberly. They went back to Sir's place. Sir sat on a couch. Spire laid down on the polar bear skin rug. "Spire." Spire snapped to attention. "Tomorrow night, we have to go to Murk's beginning. Go get some sleep. We've got the branding ceremony first, so you're going to be up late." Spire went back into his room. Sir locked the door. Spire went to rest on his good side. His marked one hurt, oh! How it hurt! The pain was near unbearable! Spire finally fell asleep, and he slept for a long time. Chapter 4 It was evening. Spire was sitting on the floor of the living room. Sir was sitting on the couch. Spire wasn't hurting so bad anymore, but his side felt a bit sore. Sir rolled up the paper, and put it on the side table. "Spire," Spire looked up at Sir. Sir smiled. "It's about time for us to leave." Spire nodded, and stood up. "Yes, Sir." He said. He flinched, and touched his side. It was sore. Sir stood too, and walked to the door. "Let's go already." Spire quickly caught up with him as Sir walked out. There was a mild blizzard outside, and it chilled Spire to the bone. They walked for a while before coming to a building that was made of ice, of course. This ice was darker, more ominous. Spire swallowed nervously. Sir smiled as they walked in. A few dragons were in there, including Ice Berg and Dirt, and the Nurse from before. She looked kind, but sad as well. There weren't any chairs, so Sir and Spire stood. "Stay over here." Sir went to go stand by a different dragon, and quickly stroke up a conversation. Spire walked over to the nurse. He didn't know why. She bowed. "Evening," she stood back up. Spire rubbed his head awkwardly. "What's wrong?" He asked. She sighed. "My poor brother... You'll see soon enough." She then rubbed his head. "Don't worry about it though. It's going to start soon." Spire shrugged. He heard a loud yell, a scream. He winced. He saw Murk be pushed up there by a dragon, an IceWing that he didn't know. There were a few unnatural red stripes on him, dripping dark red. Spire cringed. Ice Berg was standing up there, on a kind of pavilion, which was where Murk was being shoved to. Dirt was sitting in the crowd, holding Terra, and obviously trying not to cry. The IceWing shoved Murk down on the floor. Sir looked entertained. The IceWing cracked his whip. Spire was startled at the noise. The IceWing smiled. SHe brought down the whip, quickly. A yell rattled through the building. Spire winced. The IceWing's smile broadened as she did it again. Again, and again, and again. The IceWing looked like she was about to laugh. Spire was frightened. His hind foot almost slipped. His blood pulsed with fear. The IceWing let a laugh slip through, and swung the whip, and Murk was obviously sobbing. Ice Berg was standing off to the side, nodding, as if that was right. Dirt was tearing up. The Nurse looked away from the platform. Sir looked amused. So did the other IceWings there. Some were smiling. Spire took a staggering step back. The IceWing whipped Murk again and again, more times than Spire could count. Spire thought that this was the most horrific moment of his life. Clearly, he was wrong. Chapter 5 Category:Content (Badwolf152) Category:Fanfictions Category:Fanfictions (Incomplete)